Darryl David
Singapore
“Mr Speaker, Sir, just have two supplementary questions. While it is heartening to know that there have been no evidence of external influence in this case, I would like to ask if the Government does indeed keep track of possible cases that fuel the possible coordinated efforts of organisations and agencies that may not be made so public a…”
“Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. Just two supplementary questions for the Minister. The Minister mentioned earlier about the revamping of CCE. I would like to ask Minister that are there specific strategies or techniques taught to students, either within CCE or in other aspects of school, in terms of self-regulation, how to manage their emot…”
“Three clarifications, please. The first for the Minister. I suggested in my cut, Minister, about the possibility of using AI to create avatar teachers to to minimise or to positively impact the teacher-student ratio. Can the Minister share if MOE is willing to consider this?”
“I ask for leave to withdraw my cut. [(proc text) Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. (proc text)] [(proc text) The sum of $15,473,381,200 for Head K ordered to stand part of the Main Estimates. (proc text)] [(proc text) The sum of $1,185,000,000 for Head K ordered to stand part of the Development Estimates. (proc text)]”
“A dedicated AI CET centre could offer modular programmes ranging from foundational literacy to advanced applications in responsible AI governance, sector-specific problem solving and workplace integration.”
“By situating enrichment within neighbourhood schools, broadening the scope of learning beyond examinations and nurturing pathways for high-potential students, we can combine academic excellence with inclusivity and social cohesion.”
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Every one of 500 lines we hold for Darryl David, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 9 of 10.
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, co-operatives were first formed during the Industrial Revolution, a period where workers were generally poor and lived in undesirable conditions. These workers were earning a wage so low that they could barely afford basic necessities. Out of desperation, they chanced upon the idea of operating a co-op by pooling their money together and they opened their own shop to sell necessities at affordable prices. The birth of co-ops as business entities thus benefited their members by offering members a higher standard of living through the provision of reliable goods and services, savings during purchases and modest returns from the running of the business. In Singapore, co-ops operate mainly in four primary sectors – campus, credit, NTUC, and services. These co-operatives are governed by their strong social mission to provide a wide range of goods and services to benefit their members and the community at large. The NTUC sector, one of the oldest and largest co-op sector in Singapore, has the added mission of moderating the cost of living in Singapore to ensure that everyone has access to basic needs. Altogether, these 85 co-ops in Singapore have served the specific needs of their members and the community at large. But compared to other co-ops that are in the business of providing general goods and services, credit co-operatives operate like a quasi-financial institution by providing basic banking services like subscription and deposit savings, fixed savings and loans to their members. As of November 2017, there are 24 active credit co-ops serving approximately 138,000 members. Members have deposited approximately $820 million in these co-ops and these entities have loaned out almost $209 million to their members.”
“Recent sectarian violence in Southeast Asia is not only the result of violent extremism and fundamentalism originating from the Middle East, it also provides the recruitment platform for the extremism and fundamentalism to be fuelled further. This is a vicious cycle that will have potentially grave consequences as returning fighters from the conflict in that part of the world come back to this part of the world in Southeast Asia. The reading of this Bill is thus timely and we certainly need to strengthen our resolve to combat extremism and terrorism, not only in terms of being more vigilant, reinforcing our social ties, boosting our paramilitary competencies, but also in protecting our buildings and infrastructure as well. Mr Speaker, Sir, I conclude my speech in firm support of the Bill. 3.17 pm”
“Finally, I support the Bill’s provision that new developments can be designated as special developments where developers are legally obliged to construct and build the relevant safety structures to ensure the safety of the building’s occupants. Some of these devices, as mentioned by the Second Minister herself earlier, would include video or surveillance devices in the vicinity of the building, barriers to prevent vehicular threats to crowds or building structures, specially-reinforced concrete walls that do not collapse easily, and fireproof claddings. While these features can be incorporated with relative ease into new developments, they are much more difficult to be implemented in existing buildings. It was reported in April 2016 that an interagency working team has been put together to study security guidelines for existing buildings and the results of the study will be made available. Can the Ministry shed some light on the outcome of this study? Does the Ministry intend to conduct a safety audit, as it were, on existing buildings to ensure that building owners are compelled to rectify security shortcomings to mitigate collateral damage from terrorist attacks? Also, would there be guidelines for public agencies, such as Town Councils and HDB, on enhancing public safety in HDB estates, as well as guidelines for owners of commercial properties on what they could and, perhaps, should do to deter would-be attacks? The Second Minister talked earlier about "security-by-design". I was wondering if this concept could be expanded to include perhaps the notion of "security-by-redesign" for existing buildings and properties. The threat of terrorism is real and persistent, Mr Speaker.”
“On a related note, if a designated protected area incorporates a mix of residential and commercial interests, such as, say, the Marina Bay Financial Centre, how would the designation of the protected area impact the interest of residents and businesses in that area? Clause 18 of the Bill highlights that only "authorised officers" are to be deployed to guard protected places. A closer reading of the Bill reveals that "authorised officers" are interpreted broadly to encompass personnel from various divisions of the Home Team and the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), as well as Auxiliary Police Officers and security guards. I believe, Mr Speaker, that we need to ensure that "authorised officers" who are protecting the installations are adequately and adeptly trained to spot, manage and neutralise potential terrorists. While the Singapore Police Force (SPF) and SAF have specialised personnel who are trained to protect key installations, it would be hard to reconcile that an Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) officer, though with due respect, or security guard deployed by a commercial security firm would possess that same level of training to be a deterrent for would-be terrorists. Would the Ministry consider implementing a training curriculum and a certification process to ensure that all personnel deployed to guard key installations have the right level of competence and skill to discharge their duties? This would differentiate a casual security guard from a specialised officer that has been trained and prepared for guarding protected places.”
“While the appointment of a coordinating Commissioner and his/her team is a step in the right direction, the question of how coordination can be done across multiple agencies needs to be addressed. For example, what are the criteria for the Commissioner's appointment and what will be the extent of his/her power? Would he or she be vested with authority to coordinate the activities of different agencies that are now responsible for infrastructure protection? And is the Ministry considering setting up a dedicated Agency for Infrastructure Protection to execute the duties of the role? I would like now to move on to clause 8 which states that the Minister will be vested with wide-ranging power to declare any premises in Singapore as a protected area if it is deemed necessary to control the movement and conduct of persons on the premises. While I appreciate that exigencies might require swift responses from the Government, would the Government consider building in safeguards to protect against potential compromise of stakeholders' interests? In its current form, the Bill clarifies only the purpose and intent of the protected area but does not specify the criteria that would be used to determine if a premises should come under protection. As opposed to the current broad interpretation that an area can come under protection upon application of its owner and by volition of the Minister, would the Ministry consider publishing guidelines that lay out the framework to determine whether an area will be put under protection, and also, how would the scope of protection relate to the strategic importance of the asset and level of threat?”
“Mr Speaker, Singapore has so far managed to prevent a terrorist attack on our soil, but given the extreme ease with which acts of terror can now be committed using a runaway truck or with a knife easily bought from a supermarket, we cannot afford to be complacent. On 1 June 2017, MHA released the Terrorism Threat Assessment Report that highlighted the persistent risk of attack that Singapore faces, and the recent video released by the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) media centre featuring a Singapore-born terrorist further brings home the point that security is our collective responsibility. With the launch of SGSecure to sensitise, train and mobilise the community in the event of an attack, it is highly relevant that we now take a hard review at the adequacy of our safety protocols and put in place networks, structures, systems and processes to support our nation's effort in the constant battle against terrorism. While I am most supportive of this Bill, I would like to raise some points for the Minister's consideration. Perhaps, some of these points have already been covered to some extent by the Second Minister in her very thorough opening speech, but I hope that she will be open also to considering the points raised over the next few minutes or so. I would like to start off with talking about clause 5 which talks about the Commissioner of Infrastructure Protection. The Bill, when passed, will vest the Minister with the authority to appoint, among public officers, a Commissioner of Infrastructure Protection, and a team of Deputy Commissioners and Assistant Commissioners that administer the Act. This reinforces the importance given to securing our key installations and properties against possible incursions.”
“One of the most important models − recruitment and selection processes in HR management posits that individuals will gravitate towards career paths that are aligned with their personal interests and join organisations that they believe to share their value and belief systems. Being part of the Home Team Corps could thus signal a strong interest to be part of the larger Home Team network and could also indicate the alignment of the cadets' values and what the Home Team does. I would thus encourage the various Home Team agencies to consider identifying outstanding cadets early while they are still in school and prepare them for a possible career path with the agencies by offering structured career counselling and planning, or even a scholarship in the Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs), and this is where MOE could partner with MHA. In line with this suggestion, I would also like to enquire if the Home Team currently tracks the number of its officers who were from NPCC or NCDCC and whether they have any existing strategies to engage the cadets beyond their CCA training. In conclusion, Madam, I would like to state that the Home Team Corps instills in their cadets a value system that emphasises discipline, resilience, concern for public security and safety, and community pride. These are core values that are central to being prepared as a community for any attack or disaster that might come our way and I am confident that the Home Team Corps can play their part in being a cohesive part of our community network. With that, I conclude my speech in support of the Bill.”
“Indeed, the People's Association (PA) has a range of emergency preparedness and community engagement programmes, such as the Community Emergency and Engagement Committees (C2E) and Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT), that enhance this network at the grassroots level. Senior cadets from the Home Team Corps can enhance the capabilities of these Grassroots Organisations (GROs) by lending these committees their expertise. This will help strengthen the community relationships between GROs and schools where these cadets are from, as well as offer the cadets a practical opportunity to practise their skills. One of the ways that relationship between the Home Team Corps and GROs can be strengthened is to consider how senior cadets can partner our grassroots leaders (GRLs) to conduct emergency preparedness training for residents at community clubs or to visit residents at their home to educate them on basic emergency readiness. In the same vein, cadets can be trained to take on a wider range of roles in our community, perhaps even becoming part of the Citizen on Patrol (COP) teams so that there is always an invisible but significant presence that can help deter potential assailants or attackers. My final point concerns how we can enhance the Home Team via the Home Team Corps, Madam. One more possible upside to having a well-established Home Team Corps is that it can be a potential pool of talent and recruitment source for the Home Team agencies. This was also touched on by my colleague Mr Melvin Yong earlier.”
“This will allow each unit to retain its own identity, at the same time, streamline resources and training curriculum to enhance synergy. Although this Bill is under the purview of MOE, some of the points in my speech would also be directed to MHA. This, however, I believe would be in line with the spirit of inter-agency collaboration and understanding that I mentioned earlier. A narrow set of skills is no longer sufficient to deal with the intricacies of the world. To better deal with unforeseen circumstances, I would like to suggest that cadets from both corps need to be cross-trained in each other's disciplines so that they can be equipped with a range of skills to manage unexpected contingencies. For example, the concept of "emergency preparedness" is a fuzzy one that comprises not only the five pillars of Total Defence, but also competencies, such as situational leadership, environmental awareness, collective responsibility and teamwork and the ability to mobilise resources. While cadets from the different units continue to be trained in their core areas, cross-functional competencies that allow our cadets to deal decisively with the aftermath of a disaster or attack can only be honed when they are trained holistically. In this regard, I hope that MOE will partner with the Home Team to plan for a more integrated and inter-related training structure and curriculum for both NPCC and NCDCC. Community responsiveness depends on the cohesiveness of the team on the ground and the number of nodes in the community response network. Without a doubt, a tight network with more nodes is more likely to respond to emergency situations better than one that is less cohesive.”
“Mdm Speaker, in his opening remarks, Senior Minister of State Janil Puthucheary mentioned the history of NPCC. Over time, NPCC has evolved into one of the largest youth uniformed groups in Singapore. Although the history of NCDCC is relatively shorter, it is also fast gaining acceptance and recognition as one of the core uniformed groups that also help build resilient youths by putting them through a challenging training curriculum. The parent organisations of NPCC and NCDCC, that is, SPF and SCDF respectively, do serve different functions in safeguarding Singapore. However, I feel that the roles of both agencies do overlap in certain areas as they are jointly responsible for the safety and security of our civilian community, albeit in different ways. In our debate earlier, Mdm Speaker, we heard from many Members of the House the roles that Mr Lee Kuan Yew and the founding fathers played in creating a safe and secure Singapore. I would like to stress again that we cannot take the security of Singapore for granted. Our safety depends on a multi-agency effort and requires deep collaborations from different actors and players. For example, it was recently reported in the media that the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), in a pilot project, will deploy some of its medics to support SCDF in civilian medical emergencies as part of its efforts to enhance cross-agency responsiveness and operational effectiveness. In todays' increasingly interconnected world where security incidents often require multi-lateral responses, we need to strengthen cross-agency collaboration and understanding. From a resourcing and development perspective, it makes sense for the NPCC and NCDCC to come under a single entity − the Home Team Corps.”
“Would the National Trades Union Congress' (NTUC's) Employment and Employability Institute (e2i) consider having a dedicated placement programme to help pair back-to-work moms with progressive companies that are willing to offer opportunities to these ladies? Deputy Speaker, Sir, I have said before that everything I am today, I owe to four amazing women: my grandmother, my mother, my wife and my sister. What inspires me to continue to make our society a more inclusive and gender equal one is the fifth amazing woman in my life, my five-year-old daughter Kelly Anne. I want Kelly Anne to grow up in a society where she has more positive female role-models like our all-women Everest team, top corporate leader Olivia Lum, Senior Assistant Commissioner of Police Zuraidah Abdullah and the Republic of Singapore Air Force fighter pilot Khoo Teh Lynn. I want her to grow up in an environment that will empower her to be successful both in her career and in her family life, without having to compromise either. I want her to grow up feeling proud to be a Singaporean woman and proud because she lives in a country that provides her with multiple opportunities for success, regardless of race, language, religion or gender. With that, Sir, I conclude my speech in firm support of the Motion.”
“My final point, Deputy Speaker, Sir, is doing more to help full-time homemaking moms return to the workforce in either a part-time or full time capacity and calibrating this with the SkillsFuture initiative. As we try to move towards a manpower-lean workforce that relies on technology to boost our employees' productivity, we will inevitably face a skills-gap issue, especially among full-time moms who wish to return to work. In the present climate, back-to-work moms already find it difficult to reintegrate back to the workforce because they might have lost the business networks that they used to have, and they have to deal with the fact that what they knew is obsolete. This problem is compounded by the adoption of workplace technology that back-to-work moms could be unfamiliar with. We need to help our back-to-work moms transit smoothly back into the workforce by ensuring that they have the right level of skills and knowledge to reintegrate into the labour market. Can SkillsFuture Singapore and Workforce SG consider creating dedicated programmes to help back-to-work moms upskill and reskill themselves so that they can be relevant to the needs of the labour market? Can we enhance the SkillFuture credit scheme for moms so that they can take more market-relevant courses when they choose to return to work? Can we even have more credit for the stay-at-home moms who are willing to return to the workforce either in a part-time or full-time capacity? And other than ensuring that back-to-work moms must have market relevant skills, job matching market placement is also crucial.”
“They often have to work three shifts a day − a day shift in office as an employee, an evening mommy or wife shift where they need to fulfil their family responsibilities, and a night shift where they would check their emails and prepare for the next day's work after they have gone through homework with their kids and put the kids to bed. Most of the corporate solutions that we have to support working moms tend to revolve around FWAs. While this is useful, I believe it is clearly insufficient because we need to also support working dads so that they can be empowered to support their wives with the family responsibilities. I believe that the support for working dads can come on three fronts. First, how can companies adopt a pro-family mindset and implement progressive HR practices that support both men and women, so that they can better fulfil their family obligations without fear that they will be penalised at work or worry about their career being derailed? Second, from a policy perspective, what can the Government do to facilitate working dads who wish to take on more family responsibilities? The recent changes to shared parental leave and paternity leave are a positive move in the right direction but can we go a little bit beyond leave provisions? Can we provide more support for men who decide, for example, to be stay-home dads? Third, as a society, we need to collectively destigmatise stay-home dads and see stay-home dads as fulfilling just as important a duty as stay-home moms. Individuals, companies and the Government must celebrate and recognise the contributions of mothers and fathers, regardless of whether they chose to work or to stay at home because they are fulfilling an important and sacred duty that deserves our collective and unwavering support.”
“The adoption of electronic work platforms, such as project management software and collaboration platforms, will enhance the ability of women to work from home and allow them to make equal contributions at work regardless of whether they are physically present in the office or not. Companies, both in the public and private sectors, should accelerate the pace that these technologies are adopted and help their organisations to move towards a flexible workforce where both women and, indeed, men as well can continue to contribute to the company's success, regardless of whether they are working from home or working on-the-go. We can also do more to help and support families and couples holistically; this is my second point. One of the biggest hurdles that working mothers face is the need to juggle both work and home responsibilities. This challenge stems from the fact that societies, especially those in Asia, tend to ascribe gender-specific roles to men and women. Men are typically assumed to be the primary breadwinner and women's careers are thought to be of secondary importance to men's. These attitudes have led to the "sacrifice" mindset that is common among both men and women where women are often expected to "sacrifice" their career goals and aspirations to support their family, so that their husbands can pursue their careers wholeheartedly and undistracted. Despite the voluntary career slowdown, it has not been easy for these working moms.”
“First, biasness might have unconsciously crept into organisational processes, such as performance evaluation and even promotion decisions. Secondly, companies might lack effective policies to manage the career pathways of women, especially during their maternity years that coincide with the important mid-career stage. Research by McKinsey & Co and Lean-In has suggested that while there is an almost equal representation of women and men at entry-level jobs, women "leak" out of the promotion pipeline during the mid-career stage and the career gaps between women and men widen as one progresses further up the organisational hierarchy. Organisations, have in recent years, put in place many pro-family policies to support flexi and part-time work, as well as Women Initiatives Networks (WIN) to raise awareness around gender issues at work. The results of these policies, however, are mixed. It is not uncommon to hear anecdotal stories of how women and men are evaluated using different yardsticks, and this is especially so when women take on flexi-work or during the period when they go on maternity leave. I feel that the way that we appraise and evaluate employees for promotion must also change. HR departments need to play the role of an advocate and arbitrator during promotion decisions and ensure that women are evaluated fairly and duly considered for promotion based on the merit of their performance. I agree with Ms Tin Pei Ling that we need to move from an input model where the emphasis is placed on facetime in an office to an output model where the emphasis is placed on the quality of one's job performance.”
“Deputy Speaker, Sir, one of Singapore's founding principles is the creation of an egalitarian society that is based on meritocracy and justice. Everyone, regardless of race, language, religion or gender, has an equal place in our society and we, as a nation, have been progressive in supporting diversity. Women in Singapore have made, and continue to make, steady progress over the years. In business, we find more women in senior management roles. In the Development Bank of Singapore (DBS), for example, a third of its group executive committee is female, and, in Singtel, women made up one third of its board of directors. In politics, the number of women who have been successfully elected into Parliament has risen from 3% in the First Parliament of 1965 to 23% in the current 13th Parliament. Indeed, although she is not currently in the Chair, the fact that our Speaker is addressed as "Madam," is a testament to this. While women in Singapore continue to make advancements in their career advancement, we must remain cognisant that the playing field is sometimes not level for women. Gender parity can be achieved only if we make a conscious effort to foster an environment that facilitates opportunities and mobility for women, and I will speak on three areas that I think will help bring us closer to parity. First, how to enhance the working and corporate environment for women. Gender diversity at workplaces today is one of the top of mind concerns for companies. Although women, in general, have made good career advancements at work, the number of women in senior leadership roles is still far lower than that of men. And that was mentioned by Member Ms Jessica Tan in her speech earlier. In my opinion, this can be attributed to at least two plausible reasons.”
“The lack of skilled technicians in lift servicing is a worrying concern since the demands for these technicians will only increase over time and the biggest bugbear that prevents new entrants from entering the sector is the relative tough job that technicians need to do and the lack of career prospects. Given that we need more than 1,000 technicians over the next three years and the relative difficulty in attracting Singaporeans and locals into the sector, would HDB and MND work with MOM to get special dispensation with regard to the foreign worker quota for this job category? I believe the waiver of the foreign worker quota will, in the short and medium term, help alleviate the shortage of manpower in the sector while we attempt to build a stronger Singaporean Core in this area of work. I stress the aim must be to build a stronger Singaporean Core in this area of lift technicians and their similar skillsets and capability. Madam, by and large, the proposed amendments in this Bill are meant to strengthen the regulatory and corporate governance framework of Town Councils which can only be beneficial to the residents and that they are things we should be focusing on regardless of all the discussions we have had. Strengthen the regulatory and corporate governance framework and benefit the residents. As such, I complete my speech in support of the Bill.”
“Given the large majority of residents in Singapore live in high-rise public housing, lifts can be viewed as a form of vertical public transport system that ferry people to their homes. A lift breakdown is extremely disruptive to residents' lives, especially for young children, the physically disabled and the elderly who might have trouble using the stairs. It is important that all these undergo regular maintenance services and the frequency of such preventive maintenance will only increase with the passage of time as lift parts get worn out at an exponential rate from age and heavy usage. To finance the growing needs to maintain and service the lifts, I agree that more Town Council funds should be set aside specifically for the purpose of lift maintenance and replacement. The cost of lift maintenance is likely to increase exponentially over time, especially when ageing estates need to replace entire batches of lifts when the lifts reach the end of their service lifespan. So, I hope that the Government will continue to provide the grants to Town Councils to defray the servicing and replacement cost of lifts and also adjust the quantum of both grants from time to time. Madam, there are approximately 63,000 passenger lifts in Singapore, with a disproportionately high number of those lifts located in public housing estates. Indeed, it was recently mentioned in a CNA report that Singapore would need an additional 1,000 lift technicians over the next three years in order to meet our overall lift maintenance needs. I do believe this point was highlighted by Minister Lim Swee Say during the recent Committee of Supply (COS) debate.”
“Let me give a specific example to illustrate my point. There was an incident that was an accident in my division a few weeks ago where a driver inadvertently reversed his car into the walls of a childcare centre at high speed and demolished the walls of the centre. Thankfully, it was a weekend and the centre was closed because the place where the car ended up was where the children normally sleep. If it had happened the next day, I shudder to think of the consequences, Madam. We are now evaluating the design of the car park and all the car parks in our estate and plan to build safety bollards in car parks and/or void decks that have significant congregations of people where such accidents could possibly happen. The common areas in the void deck are being managed by the Town Council, the car park was designed and built by HDB. My question is: which agency should be responsible for the billing of the bollards, in this instance, where safety issues have risen from an inherent design flaw or a wrong decision of a car park that was designed and built by HDB? Should HDB take responsibility even if the areas of the bollards that are to be constructed happen to be managed by the Town Council? I am sure that there are many such examples across the island and I hope there can be greater clarity on the scope of duties and responsibilities of Town Councils and public agencies in grey areas where the lines of responsibility are not so clearly delineated. The second point, Madam, is on clause 18 which is about the setting up of the sinking fund to cover the costs of lift replacement and lift upgrading works.”
“While the amendments of the Bill will vest HDB and any statutory authority with the power to enforce penalties on Town Councils if they are deemed to be non-compliant to the agency's request, I hope that this power will be exercised only when HDB and the other statutory authorities have exhausted all other means of bringing that particular Town Council in line with its mandated duty of serving the interests of the residents. This power should not be invoked in the first instance when there are differences in opinions of how duties are to be performed. I would urge HDB and other public agencies to carefully study the merits of differing opinions offered by Town Councils before arriving at the conclusion that the powers proposed in the Bill should be invoked. Also, Madam, I would like to comment on some speeches earlier which seem to suggest that perhaps the agencies, be it HDB, NEA or even MND, could be impartial or even biased in executing their services and duties, depending on the Town Councils they were serving. To do so would be a very unfair comment on some of our public agencies and our public officers. I can honestly say that in my dealings with our agencies, it has not always been smooth. I have had instances where we have had disagreements and different points of view. But to suggest that the officers in these public agencies are not capable of being unbiased, not capable of being fair in their judgement, would, to me, be an insult to these officers. I would just like to state that for the record, Mdm Speaker. I would also like to suggest that the Government also clarify the scope of responsibility of Town Councils and other public agencies when it comes to managing places that currently fall in areas where there are overlapping responsibilities.”
“Madam, before I begin, I wish to declare my interest as the Vice-Chairman of Ang Mo Kio Town Council. Mdm Speaker, the amendments proposed in the Bill are meant to promote and strengthen effective and efficient governance and accountability of Town Councils and to ensure financial and infrastructure stability and sound financial management. I have just quoted a passage from the Bill itself. One would be hard pressed to argue against having a stronger governance framework as this would only serve further to safeguard residents' interest and public funds from potential abuse and mismanagement. I do believe many of my colleagues in the House have taken that point of view as well. While I do support this Bill, I would like to speak on two specific areas that in my opinion warrant closer scrutiny. The first is the amendment suggested in clause 14 of the Bill where it was stated in absolute terms that Town Councils must work cooperatively and collaboratively with HDB or any statutory authority or public officer when they discharge their duties or risk being penalised for non-compliance. My belief is that all collaboration between the Town Council and the other public agencies will always start with the right assumption that all agencies are working towards providing the best quality of service and benefits for residents, regardless of whichever Town Council or agency may be serving the residents in.”
“I would thus like to ask the Government if a better understanding of culture can be woven into our school curriculum through a Heritage Involvement Programme in which students spend a stipulated number of hours each year being exposed to various aspects of Singaporean culture and heritage. Mdm Chairman, a tree is as strong as its roots. For us to remain singularly Singaporean, let us invest in our culture and heritage, because I believe that it is only through a deep appreciation and understanding of our culture and heritage that we can continue to strengthen and enhance our Singaporean identity.”
“Mdm Chairman, Marcus Garvey, a political leader and publisher, once said, "A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots". To remain rooted in our Singapore culture that has evolved over many decades, even centuries, let us invest in our heritage so that it binds us together. Exploring that plate of laksa, lontong, chicken rice or prata can take us through a trek to explore our history. We are not just foodies; we connect through food. Our communal values can be seen in the way we congregate at hawker centres and respect one another's religious dietary habits. Indeed, one endearing characteristic of many Singaporeans is how we can talk about our favourite food or what we are going to have for our next meal, even as we are eating. After all, our local food has gained international recognition through celebrity chefs like Anthony Bourdain and Gordon Ramsay and our kaya kopitiams now dot the region. So, let us continue to blog about food and share through community events, traditional and social media and through food fairs. The musical arts are also an important part of our heritage. Can we not engage in experimentation via projects, such as the one undertaken by five Republic Polytechnic's Diploma in Sonic Arts students in 2015? They then recorded notes played using the dholak, an Indian drum, and 24 other traditional Indian, Malay and Chinese instruments featured on a special edition SG50-themed electronic keyboard. Team leader Azurah Jan Che Onn Azahar saw it important to have all the sounds saved, "so future generations will know the music of the cultures of Singapore". These are just two aspects of our uniquely Singapore heritage, but there is more, so much more.”
“While swimmers or runners can be assessed quantitatively by their timing, how do we benchmark athletes who have achieved in areas that cannot be measured quantitatively? For example, could a young Singaporean tennis player who is regularly beating juniors in his or her age group in a country like Australia or the US be given more Government support? If a Singaporean youth was selected to train and play with Barcelona or Chelsea's youth team, how could the Government support that? Asians play regularly across European top football leagues not just for their marketing potential but because they have shown that they are good enough. Mr Ganesh Rajaram talked about the S-League. I have faith that a Singaporean playing in one of the top football leagues in the world one day is a possibility and that will certainly put us on the global stage and perhaps do wonders to rejuvenate the sport here. Can the Government do more to perhaps support the Singaporean who finds himself in this position? My suggestion is let us support more new sports in new and diverse ways that will promote inclusiveness, nurture talent and allow for that collective roar of delight from Singaporeans from all walks of life.”
“Mdm Chairman, 2016 was a tremendous year for Singapore sports. Olympic medallist Joseph Schooling and Paralympians Theresa Goh and Yip Pin Xiu, among others, united us as a country and drew from us a collective roar of delight. They made all of us feel proud to be Singaporean. I believe that while we should continue to promote and support sporting excellence across the traditional sports, such as swimming, sailing, shooting and so on, however, I also believe that we should recognise achievements in other non-traditional sports where Singaporeans have excelled at a regional and international level. Take the case of Kyra Poh, the indoor skydiver who captured a gold medal in the junior freestyle category at the Federation Aeronautique Internationale (FAI) World Cup of Indoor Skydiving in October 2016 and who was recently crowned as the "world's fastest flyer" at the Wind Games in Spain. Then, there are Singapore ice-skaters Chloe Ing and Yu Shuran who are making an impact in the regional figure-skating arena. I know Minister Grace Fu featured Shuran on her Facebook page. I follow your page, Minister Fu. Both did well at the recent Asian Winter Games in Japan and Shuran has become the first Singaporean to qualify for the World Figure Skating Championships at the end of the month. With the sport due to feature in the SEA Games in Malaysia this year for the first time, I am confident that both these young ladies will do us proud if they are going to be competing. Sometimes, it is also about making that regional and international impact considered significant in a particular sport and not just look at the Olympics and world championships as a standard. So, l would suggest that we have other benchmarks, too.”
“Mr Chairman, Sir, as a small nation with not much agricultural or arable land, Singapore ends up importing much of its food − some 90% according to AVA. Realistically, while it is likely that we will always have to end up importing the majority of the food that we consume, it is nevertheless heartening to know that there have been attempts to leverage technology and innovation to promote agriculture and aquaculture in Singapore. I would like to ask how local food production fits into the Government's overall food supply strategy and whether the Government has a long-term roadmap to guide the local farming or aquaculture sector to scale up their production levels. Would AVA be working with local partners to promote the Recirculating Aquaculture System (ARS) in Singapore? As the global population continues to grow, there might be uncertainty whether global food supply can keep up with demand, especially in these uncertain times when countries are becoming more and more inward-looking. Also, while technology might be needed to enhance farming, aquaculture and the rearing of livestock in terms of techniques, the product does increasingly end up being enhanced as well. While this is acceptable to a certain degree, we also do not want to end up with food that have been genetically modified too much or enhanced too much as we would then be concerned about the potential negative effects of such food. Would MND be able to give more information on how the Government intends to ensure that our food supply will remain safe and secure?”
“This growth could not only be in terms of enhancing the domestic landscape industry, but perhaps we could also use our expertise and leverage on our "City-in-a Garden" reputation to support our landscape architects to make an impact regionally and internationally as well. Railway Corridor Development”
“Sir, Singapore has always prided itself as a Garden City and is now moving toward the concept of being a City in a Garden, as Minister Lawrence Wong mentioned earlier. Indeed, despite having many built-up areas, we also have pockets of greenery, such as our many parks and nature reserves that provide a respite from the hustle and bustle of urban living. What is also significant is the amount of greenery that has been incorporated into our buildings and built structures. This is something that MNDs' two agencies, URA and NParks, have worked hard to achieve, and has also rooted the strength and success of our landscape architecture industry. In high-rise and urban greenery, landscaping must not be seen as a form of "green-washing" or an afterthought. As space becomes scarcer in Singapore and our living areas become denser, it is all the more important to ensure that proper landscaping and carefully integrated and designed greenery help to enhance not just the aesthetics of the development, but the holistic mental and emotional wellness of the individuals working and living in that development as well. This would be in line with the CFE's strategy to "plan boldly for growth and city rejuvenation". I would thus like to encourage MND to work with landscape architecture companies and bodies, such as the Singapore Institute of Landscape Architects (SILA), to develop and enhance the industry in terms of talent development, opening up pathways for career growth and also raising the professional standing of landscape architects.”
“While Singapore has already begun to explore this option with MINDEF's underground ammo storage and Kim Chuan depot, the largest underground train depot in the world, would this also be a viable and sustainable housing option? If the answer is yes, how will this impact our way of living?”
“Mdm Chairman, the Global Talent Competitiveness Index published annually by the Institut Européen d'Administration des Affaires (INSEAD) consistently ranks Singapore as one of the most talent-competitive countries in the world. This is a testament to Singapore's abilities to develop, attract and retain talent. The Committee on the Future Economy's (CFE's) recommended strategy of developing a vibrant and connected city of opportunity further homes in on the point that it is important for us to be well-connected externally and rejuvenate our internal landscape over time to attract talent and support economic growth and development for our citizens. Singapore's progressive and forward-thinking attitude towards urban rejuvenation has helped us to avoid the problem of urban decay that many major cities in the region are now facing. One example of how urban planning can be aligned with growth strategies to spur economic development is the transformation of the Marina Bay area. With integrative planning, the Marina Bay area has been transformed from mudflats and empty plots of reclaimed land into a vibrant financial and service hub that combines both work and recreation. 5.00 pm The challenge that we now face is this: how can we continue to plan boldly and more integratively to attract talent not only for our citizens' benefit and attract this elusive "creative-class" that, according to the University of Toronto's Prof Richard Florida, will drive economic growth in an increasingly talent-starved world? One of the CFE's recommendations is to create new spaces underground.”
“Would the Ministry explore and develop collaborations with non-mainstream providers of media content to support the dissemination of PSB? Promoting a Reading Culture Madam, an article in the online Guardian newspaper in 2014 confirmed the link between reading and intelligence by stating how "recent scientific studies have confirmed that reading and intelligence have a relationship so close as to be symbiotic." I have also come across research that says that it is not so much what one reads, but how much one reads at a young age that is the main predictor of intelligence. And needless to say, my eight-year-old son and I have used this to justify to my wife why it is okay for him to read his football magazines as opposed to his textbooks. My point is, Madam, I would like to enquire what the National Library Board (NLB) is doing to promote and encourage reading among young children. Also, could NLB share what it is doing to promote a reading culture among the other demographics and ethnic groups as well? National Reading Movement”
“Mdm Chairman, programmes featuring Chinese dialect like "Chiak Pah Buay" and "Hwan Hee Chio Hor" were conceptualised by the Government to raise awareness of Government policies and to promote key Government messages. Indeed, we saw a segment of "Hwan Hee Chio Hor" in the video shown by the Minister earlier. Based on feedback shared by MCI and also the elderly residents that I spoke to, both series were not only well received as a form of infotainment, but there was definitely increased awareness of Government policies and there was also some retention of key messages as well. I would like to ask if the Government has any plans to use more of these programmes to serve this purpose. Also are there plans to use similar programmes and strategies to target the same elderly demographic in other ethnic groups, such as the Malay and Tamil communities? Such programmes would also be able to raise issues that would be unique to those respective communities as well. PSB Madam, according to the annual Nielsen Media Index report released in November 2016, while FTA television continues to be the main platform for local audiences to consume media and entertainment, I think we all agree that pay-TV has a growing market share and the report says that its current weekly viewership stands at 51.7%. Aside from pay-TV, other media channels, such as Netflix and online streaming websites like YouTube, have given local audiences many options to consume media content. What is the Ministry doing to ensure that PSB remains relevant and accessible in this modern age where media content exist across multiple formats and platforms, and consumers are no longer tied to one single medium?”
“Madam, one of the core missions of the National Library Board (NLB) is to foster a reading culture and to provide free public access to knowledge through its collections of books and online databases. Other than to promote reading, the libraries can also double up as community hubs that support the adoption of IT and lifelong learning, as well as being the point of access to e-Government services. As the Government continues to digitise more and more of its services, it is crucial that those who are unfamiliar with IT be provided with a public channel that they can use to transact with the Government. Given that both NLB and the Government Technology Agency (GovTech) are under the purview of MCI, both agencies could work closely to ensure that dedicated and secure terminals are made available in public libraries to those who have no home access to the Internet so that they can access e-Government services. Furthermore, NLB can value-add to this service by using it as a platform to enhance community engagement. Specifically, could NLB perhaps engage Institute of Higher Learning (IHL) students from relevant IT courses in the Institutes of Technical Education (ITEs) or polytechnics as volunteers to provide onsite assistance to residents who need help with their e-Government transactions? I hope that this is something that the Government can consider.”
“I hope that NPTD can consider this suggestion. Workplace and Families”
“Mdm Chairman, I have always believed that it is a personal choice as to whether or not one has children. I have made that choice and I can honestly say that my two children are an amazing blessing as they bring so much joy to myself and my wife. It is also true that having and raising a child does have its challenging moments, especially when they are very young. However, I believe that if we can enhance the experience of families with young children and infants, then this would not only give them much needed support, it could also encourage them to have more children. Much has been done by the NPTD and MSF to provide support in infantcare, childcare and student care. My colleagues, Ms Sun Xueling and Ms Tin Pei Ling, have also raised some suggestions in this area. But I would like to focus on how perhaps more could also be done in the area of providing housing options for families with infants and young children. I believe that priority is already given to families in HDB's BTO scheme and there is the PPHS that Ms Tin Pei Ling mentioned earlier, for those who already have a flat but are waiting for their flat to arrive. However, I understand that there is not enough smaller PPHS flats to meet the needs of these young couples and young families, and while they would be willing to consider the larger PPHS flats, they find that these flats are out of their budget. I would like to urge NPTD to work with HDB to see if it would be possible to allow couples and those with small families to rent the larger PPHS flats at a lower rate if there are such empty flats available. I believe this could be a win-win situation that will allow smaller family units to rent these flats, while ensuring that these flats do not remain empty and unused.”
“As Singapore's economy enters a period of low growth and more employees are at risk of losing their job due to structural changes in the economy, I hope that the Government will review its existing assistance schemes from time to time so that it remains responsive to the needs of the people. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, this year's Budget is unique in its approach in laying the necessary foundations to support Singapore's growth for the next five to 10 years. Rather than having a broad-based Budget that hopes to raise all boats by lifting the overall level of the tide, the Budget is measured and its initiatives are targeted at giving specific help to those that need help the most. More importantly, it reflects the Singapore ethos of fiscal prudence and the belief that the future of Singapore depends on the strong partnership between Government, business and people. And I stress again, we are people that are not cowering in the dark or in the cold and the wet, we are people that are getting ready and preparing ourselves, whatever may come next. It is not so much wait and see but being prepared. I believe that implemented well, this year's Budget, together with the recommendations of the Committee on the Future Economy, will form a roadmap that will help us to navigate the global uncertainty and possible economic headwinds that Singapore will face. With that, Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I conclude my speech in support of the Budget. 5.46 pm”
“While I appreciate the rationale that the Government would not want to subsidise those who purchase bigger flats too much, as they are likely be from a higher income group, I think we cannot ignore that some consumers might choose to purchase a 4-room flat due to the fact that it is more expensive than a 5-room flat because of its location, age and other factors. Conversely, some consumers with a lower income might have to purchase a 5-room flat, as opposed to a more expensive 4-room flat in other locations, due to their family requirements as well. In view of these idiosyncrasies, would the Government consider providing a percentage-grant based on the purchase price of the flat? But this amount would be subject to an absolute ceiling amount, and whichever amount is then higher would be given to the qualifying purchaser as the housing grant. On to household measures, Mr Deputy Speaker. The recent Budget saw increases in the prices of water and diesel, and soon, Town Councils will be increasing their S&CC rates to meet rising costs, especially with regard to servicing and eventually replacing lifts. Singaporeans are concerned that that is too many bullets to bite at a go. Although Singapore has experienced modest GDP growth over the past few years with real median wage growing by 2.6% per annum, from 2009 to 2016, the impact of these growth figures has not be felt equally across all sectors of the economy and strata of the society. Indeed, some segments of the population are concerned that the recent increases would pose additional constraints on their finances, and these concerns are somewhat justified. I am thus heartened to know that the Budget has provided various avenues of support through the form of GST Vouchers, S&CC rebates, and personal income tax rebates.”
“The career paths in SMEs can be increased by potentially increasing their level of internationalisation. An SME with regional or global presence is definitely in a better position to offer attractive careers to digital talents and also other professionals, as the scope and nature of their operations will offer the requisite job challenge and development opportunities. The International Partnership Fund proposed in the Budget will help catalyse the regionalisation of our SMEs. The devil, of course, is in the details of implementation. The Government is not in the business of picking winners and losers, so guidelines and assessment processes must be put in place to ensure that the funds that are set aside are used to support SMEs that have the best potential to internationalise. The assessment criteria and methods must be appropriate and transparent, and support must be given to high-potential SMEs regardless of their size. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I would like to speak a little on supporting families in housing. The Government has, in recent years, implemented a number of different measures to help Singaporeans own their own homes. I am glad that this year's Budget has continued on this trajectory by providing greater financial support to Singaporeans who wish to purchase a flat in the resale market. This group of Singaporeans are typically those who wish to start their family and also want to live near their parents for the supportive network. The current CPF housing grants for both 4- and 5-room flats are similar at $30,000. The new grant structure, however, would provide those who purchase a 4-room flat a higher grant than those who purchase a 5-room flat.”
“Despite their significant contributions to our economy, however, our SMEs do face serious challenges moving forward. First, many continue to lack in their digital capabilities and the ability to tap on newer technologies to improve productivity and service delivery. Second, they lack the resources and expertise to truly internationalise. Finally, there are few, if any, holistic industry-wide initiatives to help them transit their businesses to the new economy. I am glad that the Government is cognisant of these challenges and the Budget has targeted programmes to help our SMEs overcome them. It is crucial that we help our SMEs scale up their digital capabilities in the era of e-commerce and "click 'n' mortar" businesses. While it is unlikely that digital platforms and online business models will completely supplant traditional modes of business, our SMEs cannot afford to assume that they can continue to operate the way that they have been operating. So, the implementation of the Industry Digital Plans and the setting up of the SME Technology Hub will provide our SMEs with the much needed baseline assistance to digitalise their businesses, and I am eager to hear more details from the Ministry of Communications and Information during the committee of Supply debate. We should, however, go beyond this baseline assistance. The crux to a successful digital transformation is to have a talent pool that businesses can tap into. This is especially important for SMEs since SMEs are traditionally not the first choice of employment for many of our graduates. While the Government can help to nurture a pool of digital talent, I believe SMEs themselves need to ensure that they can provide a good career path for these talents.”
“I prefer to see us not so much as Marines but a Seal Team Six, Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, whereby we work fast, we work sharp, we are small, we are nimble, we are strategic. And we are far from a people cowering in fear and darkness. I believe that we use this time to focus, we use this time to regroup, we plan our strategy and we move forward. So, this year's Budget is really a strategic one that aims to help Singapore grow despite this global uncertainty that we are living in. It also reflects a paradigmatic change in how the Government views our economy. The shift from the traditional intensive-driven Budget to the current strategies-driven one demonstrates the Government's appreciation that Singapore's economy is, indeed, becoming increasingly more complex and intertwined with the rest of the world. We need to take a mid- to long-term view of our economy and implement a Budget that will continue to meet our long-term objectives. Yes, there are several "pain points" in this year's Budget where the prices of some goods and services have to be adjusted to reflect the cost of providing those services or to increase social awareness about environmental sustainability. But these "pain points", however, are also mitigated by the various grants and subsidies that that Government will implement. These policies will ensure that those in our society who need an extra helping hand should not be in a significantly worse off position after the adjustments. I would like to elaborate on some initiatives in the Budget that I think will help to continue to steer Singapore on this right path to keep us going as that "nimble" Seal Team Six. First of all, helping SMEs. We all agree that SMEs form the bulk of the number of businesses in our economy.”
“Thank you, Mdm Speaker. The world today is quite different from the one that many of us are used to. Many countries that were once champions of globalisation and trade are experiencing fundamental shifts in their political orientation and attitudes towards globalisation. [Deputy Speaker (Mr Lim Biow Chuan) in the Chair] Economically, the VUCA environment that businesses are operating in has led to the shortening of business cycles and the increasing occurrence of creative destruction. The biggest causalities of these changes are jobs. Employees in every sector and industry are at risk of experiencing structural unemployment that resulted from skill obsolesce. The danger of being replaced by automations or algorithms is real. In view of these economic headwinds and strategic challenges, we must continue to safeguard the employment of Singaporeans by creating good jobs and by helping our economy transit into the next phase. While we are living in the VUCA environment, Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, earlier on our colleague Assoc Prof Daniel Goh mentioned this image of us living in darkness and in fear. I think, perhaps, that may be exaggerating the image somewhat. I do not believe that we are living in a wait-and-see mode, but rather using the analogy of military exercises, it is more of a mode that we are anticipating what will happen, we are preparing for what could come up next. This is something that I feel very strongly about. It is easy to take a big broad brush and try to solve a situation by bombarding with artillery, for example. What you end up with is you have very much collateral destruction. I think the Prime Minister is aware of the impact of too much artillery in a situation.”
“Mdm Speaker, in conclusion, the various amendments tabled in the Bill are meant to help tighten the current licensing framework. I believe these amendments will align the sector towards achieving a common standard while the sector moves towards attaining a higher quality of service. As a parent of two young children, I am heartened and reassured by the amendments in this Bill. As a Parliamentarian, I conclude my speech in support of the Bill.”
“The amendments to clause 29 that stipulates the regulatory requirements imposed on ECDCs when they deploy third-party education service providers are a step in the right directions towards raising safety and quality standards. ECDCs, in their course of operations, will inevitably work with third-party education service providers to offer enrichment or physical education programmes. In instances such as these, it is important that third-party education service providers be thoroughly assessed for their suitability and whether they have the right level of competency to offer such services. It would disastrous if classes, such as gymnastics, are being conducted by untrained third-party providers who do not have the right level of competency or awareness about safety. Children are exposed to higher risk of getting hurt when they attend classes conducted by these unqualified trainers and it is important that we assess all such trainers thoroughly to minimise such risk. As an addendum to the Bill, I hope that the Government can clarify whether clause 29 will be applied to vendors who provide non-educational service to ECDCs, for example, food and beverage (F&B) vendors who supply food to the centres. Going further, would the Government consider mandating vendors that supply food to children in preschools and primary schools to provide a well-balanced diet that is suitable for young children? It might thus be fruitful for the Health Promotion Board and MOE to jointly work on a regulatory and certification framework, together with MSF, to assess vendors that provide F&B to preschools, childcare centres and kindergartens, so that our children can enjoy nutritious and well-balanced meals in schools.”
“In line with the SkillsFuture initiative and the CFE's recommendation to acquire and utilise deep skills, I hope that there will be more avenues for our aspiring early childhood educators to be trained. In particular, I would like to suggest that incentives be given to mid-career switchers to attend mid-career conversion courses that induct them quickly into the sector. In my opinion, mid-career switchers can be a valuable source of manpower to a sector that is currently experiencing a labour crunch. In fact, many mid-career executives are parents themselves, and they can bring with them important parenting skills that can help improve the overall standards of care and classroom delivery. Aside from creating training platforms for early childhood educators to attain the much needed foundational skills, I hope that the Government can put in place some form of continuous education programme so that our educators can continue to upgrade their skill set over time and be in sync with the latest teaching methods and pedagogies. This is especially important for those who wish to deepen their career in the field and eventually take on a leadership role in their respective schools and it is also in line with our SkillsFuture initiative and the CFE's strategic thrust mentioned earlier. Specialised continuous education will create multiple pathways of career progression by giving early childhood educators the platform to hone and deepen their skills in specific areas of interest, such as pedagogy development, developmental psychology, or even early childhood assessment and intervention. The deepening of skillsets will naturally allow these educators to have meaningful career progression and be paid a higher wage when they become specialists in their field.”
“I am glad that the Bill will strengthen what the Minister calls a robust regulatory framework on the operations of an ECDC. This, in my opinion, will complement the on-going initiatives to elevate the service standards of the industry. Currently, it is mandatory for all teachers and allied educators to undergo supervised training so that they have the proper qualifications to teach in a preschool. It would thus be appropriate to impose a similar regulatory framework to curb the proliferation of schools that are not run by licensed operators. In the same spirit of creating a stronger safeguard, I would urge the Government to consider defining and clarifying what constitutes an ECDC. Would home-based classes that focus on delivering structured curriculum be considered an ECDC under the Bill? Or would enrichment centres that conduct speech and drama classes or creative thinking for preschoolers be considered as ECDCs? How would specialised set-ups, such as those providing occupational therapy or unique training for special needs children, be classified? It is important for us to be granular in our approach and define in unambiguous terms what an ECDC is. At the current moment, there are several avenues and channels for aspiring early childhood educators to get trained in the field. The amendment to clause 23, where approval must explicitly be sought for persons who perform duties at ECDCs, will further enhance the quality of early childhood education by ensuring that all teachers and allied educators have the relevant qualifications and skills to teach our preschoolers. Presently, aspiring early childhood educators can get trained at early childhood diploma programmes in the polytechnics and via training provided at the SEED Institute.”
“Mdm Speaker, the traditional light-touch approach that the Singapore Government has adopted in the early childhood industry has, in my opinion, worked well. This has led to the flourishing of the early childhood education landscape where parents can send their children to different schools with different pedagogies that cater to differing needs, wants and aspirations. Over time, however, that has led to an adverse impact where children, depending on their social economic status, could possibly have different starting points in life depending on the preschool, kindergarten or childcare centre that they attend. While I think that aggressive interventions and heavy regulations in the early childhood sector are not necessary at this point in time and the element of choice for parents is important, it would undeniably be useful for MOE and MSF to set a basic curriculum and establish a regulated baseline pedagogy and a certain level of quality to ensure that our children, regardless of socio-economic background, have the opportunity to enjoy a certain basic standard of quality early childhood education. I see the amendments proposed in the Bill as a positive step where the Government is sticking to its light-touch approach, yet, at the same time, adjusting the system so that it continues to serve the broad interests of the community by offering diversity and choice to parents. I would now like to touch on three amendments to the Bill that I think resonate with me the most. Aside from having a well-developed curriculum that emphasises learning through exploration and play, the quality of educators is perhaps the next most important factor that determines whether children will have an enriching early childhood education.”
“With that, Mdm Speaker, I conclude my speech in support of the Bill and look forward to NParks continuing to integrate more biodiversity and flora into our urban landscape, so that we are not only a Garden City but a City in a Garden.”
“The proposed changes to the Act in clauses 14 and 18 would give NParks officers the authority to enter various premises to issue maintenance notices. This would potentially help to alleviate the situation I have just highlighted, as well as other similar situations that I am sure my parliamentary colleagues would face, as those responsible for the trees will now have to comply with maintenance notices issued by NParks. I am glad that these issues will be given due attention. On the other hand, I am also concerned about the technical interpretation of the proposed changes and whether these changes will lead to frequent situations where various parties expect NParks to step in to resolve minor issues that could be dealt with in other ways and using other channels. Like my colleague, Er Dr Lee Bee Wah, I am also interested to know how NParks would interpret what constitutes "danger" under the amended clause. I believe that most of us would understand "danger" in the most obvious sense, such as when a branch or tree could potentially fall on someone. However, how else could the concept of "danger" be applied? For example, would the presence of a bee-hive or toxic and poisonous sap from trees be regarded as "dangerous?" Would trees that regularly shed leaves that might be a hazard on a slippery floor during rainy days be considered "dangerous?" The premise of what constitutes "danger" is, therefore, subjective and I believe greater clarity in the interpretation of what is "dangerous" is necessary in order for the law to have its full desired effect.”
“At the present moment, depending on the configuration and location, you could have trees and plants in the area of a few hundred square metres coming under the jurisdiction and management of various diverse agencies, such as LTA, HDB, NParks and the Town Councils. While the public can call the MSO line to deal with any issue pertaining to the trees and plants concerned and their feedback will be re-routed to the appropriate agency, I feel that this might not be the most efficient and cost-effective way to address such concerns. Under the current system, I understand that each individual agency will need to call for its own tender for horticultural contracts and maintain its own horticultural team, even arborist, to deal with such exigencies and issues. This, potentially, leads to the duplication of contracts and manpower across agencies when what is needed is perhaps a singularly-managed horticultural team and a few master contracts that cover the maintenance of plants and trees across the island In my opinion, it would thus be more prudent and effective, from both a resource and manpower standpoint, to have NParks to be the lead coordinating agency that oversees the entire process of maintaining all our trees and plants in Singapore. Finally, Madam, residents in my constituency have previously made complaints about a row of tall trees that are in a school that is located right beside their block of flats. The complaints are about how insects and birds nesting in those trees are a nuisance and disturbance. Specifically, insects are flying into their homes and birds are defecating in their balconies. Our community leaders have raised the matter but little has been done to alleviate the situation so far.”
“Those responsible for the oil spill must be held accountable for the disaster and the amendments to the Bill will hopefully give NParks more authority to take the appropriate action. On a more positive note, having greater regulatory and enforcement power may potentially allow Singapore to capitalise on our rich marine biodiversity to promote marine tourism and other marine leisure activities. Popular Singapore sites, such as Pulau Hantu, are overused and there are signs of coral damage. The designation of "marine parks" as "public parks" will thus potentially offer NParks a clearer channel to develop other dive sites, possibly in our southern waters. While Singapore can never realistically compete with a place like the Maldives for marine tourism, it could be fruitful for NParks to work with operators to enhance more sea-sport and marine leisure offerings to feed domestic demand. In addition, a well-conserved marine park would also offer educational opportunities, especially for our youth, on the bio-riches of our waters and the importance of sustainable living. Another proposed amendment to the Act I would like to speak on is the proposal to include non-NParks managed land under the Act as indicated in clauses 2 and 4. This is, in my opinion, a positive amendment as this would allow those who damage trees and plants in these areas to be prosecuted. I would, however, also like to suggest that NParks eventually oversee the management of all trees and plants across the island. I believe that such a move will resolve the current slightly complex management system of trees and plants that is in place.”